


Hollow

by Xanthippe



Category: The Long Walk - Richard Bachman
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 21:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19281265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xanthippe/pseuds/Xanthippe
Summary: They promised Garraty whatever he wanted for the rest of his life, but that turned out to be an empty prize.





	Hollow

Priscilla sat across from him, hands folded primly on the table and eyes trained on the tea cup in front of her. Steam rose lazily from the surface of her drink, and Garraty knew from the intensity of her stare that she was willing him out of the picture. She did not wish to be here, but the perks of winning the Long Walk compelled her presence. In other words, he asked her out and she had to oblige. 

He let her wait as he mulled over his own thoughts, creating what most certainly was an uncomfortable silence. McVries had loved her passionately, and hated her with equal fervor.

“Are you still sewing buttons at the pajama factory?” Garraty finally asked, his tone more conversational than he felt.

She cleared her throat as if she were about to answer, but nothing came out. Instead her head bobbed in an affirmative nod. Garraty noticed one of her hands twitch, and vaguely thought about McVries’s lips brushing across her pale fingers. Thought about how McVries smiled at him before the final shot rang out. 

“Yeah, I suppose you’d have to be a fool to leave such a cushy position on the showroom floor.” The statement came out more antagonistic than he intended it to, and for the first time since he arrived her eyes cut up towards his own. A look of undisguised hatred filled her expression.

“What do you want, Raymond Garraty?” Pris asked in a low voice. It was a question that haunted him from the moment Stebbins took his last step. The rules of the Walk promised him whatever he wanted for the rest of his life, but even the prize had been a cruel joke. They could not give him what he wanted. They could not give him Baker, and Olson, and even Stebbins. They could not reverse the damage to his feet. They could not take back the bullet they lodged into McVries’s head. A void existed within him, and there was nothing they could give him that would fill it.

Unbidden, he could hear Pearson’s words echoing across his thoughts. The memory filled him with regret. In his shame he had pushed McVries away and closed himself off.

“Do you think Pete wanted to be hurt?” Garraty asked quietly.

“It wasn’t my fault he volunteered for the walk.” She answered defensively. Her arms wrapped around her middle, and her eyes flickered back down to her cup.

Garraty nodded in quiet agreement. In the end, all of the walkers had made the choice on their own. As much as he wanted to lay the blame at her feet, he was unable to commit.  


He thought of the scar that marred McVries’s face. How despite all the quips and jokes, McVries had closely guarded the events of that night. Did she really think he was going to hurt her when she cut him? It felt like a betrayal to ask. Instead he willed himself to remember why he asked her here. 

“Pete’s life,” He struggled to keep his voice level, “was not trivial.” A look of confusion flashed across her face. She did not understand. There was no one who was still alive who understood. “I just wanted you to know that. Pete’s life was not trivial.” He repeated softly.

**Author's Note:**

> I just finished my second read through of The Long Walk, and once again have had trouble coping with my feelings towards Garraty and McVries. I imagine Garraty was just as confused after winning as I was while writing this. 
> 
> Shout out to Niffy who proofread this for me.


End file.
